Tummy Fat - Almost Looks like I Am Pregnant!

I finally had to make myself make the time to exercise. I now work out from 5a - 6:15a and I'm still showered and ready for the day by 7:15. I hated the gym and never pushed myself so I joined a group fitness class "bootcamp" and love it. I actually jump out of bed when my alarm goes off three monrings a week. I've met a ton of nice people and I get my work out over and done with so at the end of the day I can't fail. Exercise and eating right. It's the only thing that works. Good luck!

This is what my dietician/nutritionist suggested for M. to loose my baby weight (other than exercising):

8 8oz glasses of water a day
25-35 grams of fiber daily
3 meals and 3 snacks
Each meal and snack needs protein- meals 2-3 ounces, snacks 1 oz, (she stressed the importance of protein!).
Portion control- snacks should be 15 grams of carbs and 1 oz protein
meals should be around 45-50 grams of carbs
(a serving of banana is usually 1/2 a banana and a serving of apple is either 1/2 a large apple or 1 small apple that comes in the bags.)

Also, get in as much exercise as you can while doing your daily activities- park in the farthest spot possible, take the stairs etc.

Around age 30, I started to notice that my stomach was getting bigger. Just my stomach. I have always been big boned and when i gained weight it was alway gained evenly, all over. I never looked what I weighed. Everyone always guess I weighed much less than I did.
I figured that what I had always heard must be true. I hit my 30's and there went my figure. (always hourglass, no matter what I weighed) For three years I gained in my stomach, no matter what I did. I was often asked when I was due or if I was expecting. At a routine Dr. Appt., she says,"You know, your body shape has changed. I guess we better test you for diabetes."
I about had a heart attack! "You mean I could have been diabetic for three, flippin' years!!!!"
Yep, that's what it was/is. I'm still kind of ticked off that it took three years of gaining in my belly for my Dr. to notice, and that fat is next to impossible to loose! On top of it, I had twins three years ago and I am now dealing with the flabby, lower tummy, grossness from the twins stretching M. out even worse. Fighting the diabetes and the lack of muscle tone in my 42 year old body is an uphill battle. I still get asked when I am due, or if I am expecting again. Totally Sucks! ( When asked when I am due, I say," Three years ago, last June, thanks! Usually shuts them up)
I would ask for a test for diabetes. They usually run one that is called an A1C that shows them your average blood sugar for the last 3 months. If it is anywhere near the upper or lower edge of regular (or, of course, irregular) have them run the longer test where you drink the super sugary junk and they do a few blood draws to check how your body handles it.
Good Luck! (Of course, as an everyday person, I'm not saying you have it, but if your story is anything like mine, I would get it tested sooner rather than later when it's worse and harder to get rid of)

I hate to ask this but... are you pants too tight on you? A lot of women wear their pants to low and tight and it makes their tummy protrude.

If that is the problem, go up a size (try not to look at the nuber but how they fit). Remember, you had a baby, you can't always get back to that flat belly so try to hide it a bit with flowy shirts and pants that fit your body.

The symptoms you are describing, accumulating belly fat, getting hungry and tired an hour after eating high-carb foods, and perhaps even a craving for carbohydrates, may well mean you have the genes to develop type-2 diabetes, or are even in the earliest stages of pre-diabetes.

This has been my pattern since my early 20's. The ONLY way I have been able to maintain a healthy weight or lose weight has been to eat as few carbs as possible. Eating more (healthy) fats still allows M. to lose, IF I keep carbs at a minimum.

I did go on to develop diabetes in my 50's, but have kept my blood sugar at near-normal levels by eating almost no carbs besides those that are in vegetables and fruits, and making sure that my diet includes plenty of fiber, proteins, and good fats. There are a slew of Low-Carb diet tips online and in books.

Good luck.

Ive been on a body altering quest lately..... Ive lost about 25 lbs or more.

You just have to do it, you know what you need to do. Unfortunately you cant pick where you lose fat, so just start working out. Find fitness that you actually enjoy and do it every day.

Try to eat something at night with more complex carbs to keep you full........dont even buy rice and then you cant fall back on it.

ETA...i have to agree with M. of 1 underneath M.. I have a friend that buys her pants too small (denial and vanity i suppose) her belly is always hanging over and her butt crack shows all the time. She honestly would look better in bigger pants. She gets the pregnant comment all the time, because i guess thats what people assume when it looks like youve outgrown your pants (not saying you do that)

what worked for M., that i have to start again, was every time i washed my hands ur supposed to scrub 26 seconds, so i would do 26 squats, or side bends each time. Then when my daughter was that age i would lay on my back and get in crunch position and let her sit on my feet and pull my legs to my stomach and do a crunch, she loved riding up and down on my legs, and was worse than a coach because hearing a 1 year old beg motivates you to do it again. Also i'd do leg lifts in the aair like this and give airplane rides, they're little bodies give a lt of extra wieght you'll feel it right away and they'll beg for it every day...at the end or when i needed a second break i would hold my legs straight up for a second balancing her then let her slide down my legs and land on my stomach. Shes 5 and still begs for this.
i worked at a gym for a few months when she was really little to get her used to being away before i went back to work full time and the 18 year old girl that worked in the daycare with M. did this with all the kids under 3 and her stomach was flat as can be

Yea I have the same question so we will wait for an answer together. Good Luck!

You don't need to eat less... you just need to eat healthier and foods that are packed in protein and carbs. Also, eating 6 small meals a day, instead of the typical 3 meals help with this hunger.

As for exercising, I joined the YMCA. Nice, because it has a child watch center. If you can squeeze in 1-2 hours of workout 3 nights a week, you will feel your energy improve. I did about 30 mins on the treadmill, and 45 mins lifting weights, some nights I do 1 hour of Zumba. You actually tone and burn more calories when weight lifting, and you can really focus on your core/abs.

You can also do lots of easy workouts at home, here are a few really easy and effective ones. Try and do them daily. Women's Health magazine has tons of easy at home workout tips. If you don't ahve hand weights, use the family size cans of chicken noodle soup or something.

Some really good abs workout links on their site:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/search/node/tone+tummy

http://ow.ly/6Git6

http://ow.ly/6HzfH

http://ow.ly/6GjjJ

Build muscle mass. Less muscle mass, more tummy weight. Hit the weights and your tummy will shrink, along with cardio and diet.

Sometimes with pregnancy, a woman can get what is called "Diastasis."
Look this up online.
It is an abdominal separation.
It makes the tummy look like it it still pregnant because the condition makes the tummy protrude.

Your Doctor can tell you if you have this, because they are trained to detect it.

Eating rice, white rice, is not good. It is a simple starch and is fattening. Any white starch/processed starches, is not good. Or in large amounts.

a) You might have a diastasis recti. Do some research on that and see if that applies to you. If that's the case, depending on the severity, typically only surgery can correct it.
b) If you're eating the right foods (rice is not enough for a meal), you will have more energy. Lean protein, vegetables and whole grains should be the basis for your meals.
c) You have to make time to exercise. Plain and simple. If it's not a priority to you, you won't do it.

To M., I'm betting that the first is the root cause of your problem. If it's a small split, you can do some exercise to help it. If it's severe (more than 2 finger widths), you're gonna need surgery to get back to normal.

I have the same problem but it has been very slowly getting better since I started exercising regularly. It took M. FOREVER to motivate myself. Finally when my daughter was 1 I threw out my back and it was awful. That gave M. the motivation I really needed. I figured I better exercise to get strong again. I like to eat too and get very hungry but I started giving up all white processed grains...switched to brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat pasta and bread, etc. I try to have oatmeal in the morning more often. I try to make a big quinoa salad or big pot of lentil soup and eat that for several lunches during the week. I add lots of protein to both of these dishes. I don't do this ALL the time, but every little bit helps. I have been buying YMCA punchcards and going 1 evening a week to Power Up (a weight lifting/aerobics class). And I started going for early morning runs 2ce a week. My stomach still sticks out some but it is getting better. Now I have loose flabby skin that hangs down...so it's not pretty but I'm happy that I don't stick out so much. Anyway, I recommend just taking baby steps...do one thing at a time. Eat only whole grains one day a week or take one morning and do some exercise. You can later add on one more day...and every bit you do will help.

I look the same way. I'm sure i could find time to excercise but i dont want to. I'd rather do other things with my free time. Im 5'2 and 132lbs. Size 8 pants but let M. tell you. i have got a belly that looks 6 months pregnant if i let it hang out. Its rough walking around sucking it in all the time.
I know on my stomach i've got some fat, but i think its muscle bulging out too, because its hard and wont go down above my belly button. Underneath is a bunch of sagging skin. ICk....
I dont know what to do either.....